1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to so-called weedless fishing jigs and so-called weed guards for use with fishing jigs, and more particularly, to a weed guard which may be easily and conveniently incorporated within a fishing jig without requiring substantial changes in the process used to manufacture such jigs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
While a wide variety of natural bait and artificial lures are used by fishermen to catch fish, the fishing jig is particularly popular among fishermen trying to catch bass, crappie, and walleye. Such fishing jigs are typically formed by molding a lead head portion, or leadhead, around the upper end of a jig style hook, leaving the eyelet of the hook protruding from the leadhead for attachment to the fishing line. A soft plastic skirt or body having a longitudinal bore formed therethrough is passed over and around the barbed tip of the jig hook proximate the leadhead. The leadhead is typically formed with a projection or "keeper" extending at an angle therefrom, and the plastic skirt is engaged over the keeper to prevent the skirt from sliding down the shaft of the hook away from the leadhead. Dots resembling eyes may also be painted on opposing sides of the leadhead to make the jig appear more like a living creature. The plastic skirt typically includes soft plastic trailing members which "jiggle" as the jig passes through the water. Occasionally, rubber, feathers and/or animal hair are used to ornament the jig in place of the plastic skirt described above.
Because species of bass, crappie, walleye and other fish often swim near the bottom of a lake or in shallow waters covered by submerged branches and other debris, many fishermen attempt to position such fishing jigs near the bottom of the lake, or in such covered shallow waters. However, because of submerged weeds, branches and other debris, such fishing jigs often become snagged; in such instances, the fishing line may break as the fisherman attempts to retrieve the line, or the fisherman is forced to cut the line in order to free the same.
In view of the inconvenience and time required to secure a new jig to the end of the fishing line each time a jig becomes snagged, manufacturers of fishing jigs have made various attempts to modify the basic design of the fishing jig to render the same weedless. One presently popular accessory used by fishing jig manufacturers to render fishing jigs weedless is a so-called "Y-GUARD" available from Billy Henry, Inc. of Crystalake, Ill. The Y-GUARD is typically formed of plastic and includes a central thickened shaft from which extend two thin flexible fingers whereby the device resembles the shape of the letter Y. The thickened shaft is inserted into the leadhead mold prior to molding the leadhead, with the flexible fingers extending generally toward and on either side of the tip of the jig hook. The flexible fingers extending generally toward the tip of the jig hook are designed to deflect weeds, branches or other submerged debris, while being flexible enough to yield to the jaws of a fish when the fish strikes the jig. Another popular method of rendering a fishing jig weedless is by the incorporation of a so-called fiber guard. Fiber guards consist of a plurality of monofilament fibers of the type commercially available from DuPont Corporation under the brand name "HEROX", which fibers are commonly joined at one end; the joined end of the plurality of fibers is inserted into the leadhead mold prior to molding the leadhead with the free ends of the fibers projecting generally toward and slightly ahead of the tip of the jig hook. Once again, the fibers tend to ward off weeds, branches or other submerged debris while being flexible enough to yield to the jaws of a fish.
While both the Y-guard and fiber guard described above serve to lessen the likelihood of a fishing jig becoming snagged, such fishing jigs are more difficult to manufacture and assemble since the Y-guard or fiber guard must be properly positioned within the mold during the process of molding the leadhead. Due to such complications, the number of leadheads which can be molded at the same time is limited as compared with the number of leadheads which can be practically molded when such weed guards are omitted. Furthermore, the use of such weed guards is limited to those types of fishing lures which include molded leadheads.
Yet another approach known in the art to provide a weedless fishing jig is commercially available under the brand name "CRAPPIE SLIDER" from Charlie Brewer's Slider Company of Lawrenceburg, Tenn. wherein a non-conventional jig head is provided along with a soft plastic grub body to ornament the jig. The forwardmost end of the grub body is advanced over the tip of the hook and around the shaft of the hook toward the jig head. The tip of the hook is then inserted in the central portion of the grub body, while the tail of the grub body trails behind. While such a construction provides a weedless fishing jig, the specially designed jig head and grub body differ from and appear to be incompatible with conventional jig heads and ornamental skirts preferred by many fishermen to catch other species of fish.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a weed guard for a fishing jig which is easily and conveniently incorporated within a conventional fishing jig without altering the process normally used to mold the leadhead about the jig hook.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a weed guard for a fishing jig which is easily and conveniently incorporated within a conventional fishing jig after the leadhead molding process has been completed.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a weed guard which is compatible both with conventional jig heads and with conventional jig skirts and other ornamentation conventionally applied to such jigs.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a fishing jig which incorporates a weed guard of the type described above.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art as the description thereof proceeds.